"The more preventive services like meals on wheels and day care are being especially hard hit, leaving the system increasingly the preserve of older people in the most acute need, storing up big problems for the future.

"Hundreds of thousands of older people who need social care are being left high and dry. The lucky ones have sufficient funds to buy in some support, or can rely on the goodwill of family, neighbours and friends. But there are many who are being left to struggle on entirely alone."

Previous research by the charity has shown there are nearly 900,000 people who do not get any help for their care needs.

"Until recently the impact of the decline in social care has been relatively hidden, but social care is a crucial pressure valve for the NHS and the evidence of what happens when it is too weak to fulfil that function is clear for us all to see," Ms Abrahams added.

Over the past three months waiting times in A&E units have reached their worst level for a decade with hospitals reporting they are experiencing particular problems trying to discharge old and frail patients because of the lack of support available in the community.

Vulnerable people

Izzi Seccombe, of the Local Government Association, said the system was "chronically underfunded".

"Councils have protected our most vulnerable people as far as possible, often at the expense of other services, and we will continue to prioritise those most in need.

"However, the combined pressures of insufficient funding, growing demand, escalating costs and a 40% cut to local government budgets across this parliament mean that despite councils' best efforts they are having to make tough decisions about the care services they can provide."

But a Department of Health spokeswoman said the April launch of the Better Care Fund - a £5.3bn pot predominantly funded from the NHS to encourage greater integration between health and care - would help.

"We know we need to work differently to respond to our growing ageing population."

She added the fund would "focus resources on helping people to live independently, which will save money and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions".